Motorsportens normer och ideal : En studie om racing över tiden

Sammanfattning: The purpose of this study is to review the norms and ideals within the area of motorsports. The main focus is within circuit racing and particularly Formula one, WEC, World Endurance Championship, and the Le Mans 24h race. Furthermore, the ambition is to examine culture within the sports as well as what it will take to reach a professional level as a driver in a major racing series. A total of three (3) interviews have been conducted to further deepen the question at issue. Alongside the interviews, two (2) observations has been executed internationally to study the theories on site of racing events. The gathered material has since been analyzed and two perspectives have emerged: The image of the sport; and the image of the driver. From the two (2) perspectives, we can derive more subordinate perspectives. Derived from the image of the sport the following perspectives arose: danger and rivalry. From the image of the driver the following three perspectives can be procured; the vulnerable driver, the perfectionist as well as the (un)healthy driver.   The result is pointing to a sport in constant alteration. From the incipient events of motorsport leading up to present, there has been a substantial development both within the sport itself as well as from a driver perspective. As the sport evolved from notoriously dangerous and potentially lethal to relatively safe, other elements have emerged and become major factors such as individualism, rivalry and politics. With a larger commercialization and professionalization, the demands of the driver have increased substantially. The driver needs to be more complete than ever, both on the track as well as off the track.